The anti-graft Lokpal ombudsman failed to get constitutional status due to the "betrayal" of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said Wednesday.

"The Congress party wanted to give the same constitutional status to the Lokpal as the Election Commission enjoys, but the BJP betrayed us, even though it had initially assured its support to a strong bill," Gandhi said while addressing a public rally in Sisaya village of Dharhaura constituency of Lakhimpur-Kheri district, about 160 km from Lucknow.